Why did you choose the LA Shorts Fest to submit to and what do you want to accomplish with this festival or festivals in general?
“The end goal for festivals in general is to get the film seen, especially by people in the industry which is what makes LA Shorts a perfect fit. We will release online at some point, but the movie was designed to be seen with an audience in a theater, and there's nothing like watching your film on the big screen and getting to hear the audience's reactions.”
Type/Genre of film: drama/comedy Director/Writer: Tim DeKay/Mike Santorico
Premise: This Monday is a dramedy following Jack, a man with a secret who’s down on his luck. He takes a very strange job with some very unusual co-workers and in short time goes from being appalled to being like them.
Length: 19:03 Budget: $8,000
How did you accomplish your film given the budget constraints? Mike Santorico- “‘This Monday’ was filmed over two and a half days. The apartment scene was shot at my house. A friend of the director provided the office. The actors and crew are friends of ours and friends lent the camera equipment to us. We did have interns working with us as well. This film is about as micro budget as you can get. In micro budget filmmaking it’s the small things that count. My perspective is that of a writer/producer who has spent over 20 years as an actor. When faced with the challenge of making a film with little to no money, and let’s face it there is never enough money, I have found several key elements that help guide me to the finish line.”
“You must start with a good story. There is no getting around it. A great story and a well written script is your best way of getting money and also great actors, DP and Director. I write up a lot of outlines until we settle on the story we want to tell. The first few drafts are written with no budgetary concerns. Once we have the script in a good place, our producer hats go on and we start thinking budget. Let me stress that the story is of utmost importance and we do our best not to change it, but we can change a location, a time of day, a characters profession and other things to fit what we have available to us.”
This Monday screenwriter Mike Santorico.
“For example, we worked on a short that originally called for the two main characters to be a plumber and his assistant. I didn’t know any plumbers but I was on very good terms with my mechanic. I asked if we could use his shop, he said sure and just like that the two characters became a mechanic and his assistant. It didn’t change the story any but we got a cool authentic location for free.”
“Having the director truly excited about the film is important especially on a micro budget film because it is his energy and eagerness that sets the tone on the set. Our director, Tim DeKay, spent lots of time organizing and preparing, had extensive shot lists and schedules, had limited rehearsals with the actors. This gives the actors some insight as to what it will be like on the set and gives the director a chance to find out how each actor works and communicates which saves valuable time when shooting. All the preparation is to ultimately have a smooth and positive shoot.”
“The money you do have needs to be spent wisely. I highly recommend beginning with a Script Supervisor. What you spend here saves you immensely in editing. With a script Supervisor, you are less likely to be missing that reverse shot you need to make a scene work or find you crossed the line in a pivotal scene (a good DP will help with this as well) or have a major continuity gaff in a really tender, quiet moment. With micro budget films there is usually no money for reshoots or looping sessions. Preparation and attention to detail before the shoot pays off big dividends in post.”
